1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to automatically operated antiskid apparatus for automobile tires, and more particularly to automatically operated antiskid apparatus for automobile tires, which is capable of projecting antiskid bars from the circumferential surfaces of automobile tires by manipulating a bar operating switch from the interior of an automobile so as to drive the automobile on a snowy or icy road.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In present-day life, automobiles are indispensably utilized for obtaining satisfactory mobility, and a demand for automobiles is continuously increasing. The safety of a driver greatly depends on weather conditions and external environments while he drives an automobile. In general, when an automobile is started, driven and braked on a snowy or icy road, antiskid apparatuses for automobile tires, such as tire chains, are utilized so as to prevent the automobile tires from skidding on such a road.
That is, in the winter season, in order to provide for snowy weather and a snowy or icy road, drivers put tire chains made of steel around automobile tires, clamp them together, and tighten them using rubber strings before or while driving.
In order to eliminate inconvenience caused by the conventional tire chains that should be put around tires, clamped together and tightened by drivers, there are developed and merchandised improved antiskid apparatuses that are easily operated and lightweight.
However, the conventional improved antiskid apparatuses are problematic, in that the antiskid apparatuses should be mounted on automobile tires and demounted from the tires by drivers"" physical effort, it is difficult to mount antiskid apparatuses on automobile tires in advance so as to provide against snowy or icy areas that are occasionally met, and unskilled drivers should spend excessive time in mounting the antiskid apparatuses on the automobile tires and demounting the antiskid apparatuses from the automobile tires.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an automatically operated antiskid apparatus for automobile tires, which is capable of selectively projecting antiskid bars from the circumferential surfaces of the automobile tires and retracting the antiskid bars into the tires by manipulating a bar mounting switch at a driver""s seat so as to drive the automobile on a snowy or icy road and a dry road.
In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides an automatically operated antiskid apparatus for automobile tires, comprising: an operating signal generating unit for transmitting an operating signal generated by a bar operating switch to positions in the vicinity of automotive wheels; a signal transmitting unit for receiving the operating signal from the operating signal generating unit and transmitting the operating signal from a stationary automobile body to rotating wheel rims; and an antiskid bar and antiskid bar operating unit for receiving the operating signal from the signal transmitting unit and operating antiskid bars embedded in tread portions of the tires.
In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, the signal generating unit consists of the bar operating switch, a booster connected to the bar operating switch for amplifying the operating signal, a hydraulic cylinder connected to the booster for transmitting an amplified operating signal, a hydraulic conduit connected to the hydraulic cylinder for transmitting the amplified operating signal, and a plurality of hydraulic pistons connected to the hydraulic conduit and mounted on knuckles situated in the middle of the tires; the signal transmitting unit consists of a plurality of divided bearings each attached to a plurality of guide portions formed on inside surfaces of wheel rims, each of the divided bearings being composed of left and right disks and bearing balls between right and left disks; the antiskid bar and antiskid bar operating unit consists of a plurality of steel wire pulling pieces each situated outside of each divided bearing, a plurality of steel wires first ends of which are connected to the steel wire pulling pieces, and a plurality of antiskid bar units connected to second ends of the steel wires and positioned in tread portions of the tires; and each of the antiskid bar units consists of a T-shaped, hollow casing part made of flexible, thin material and provided with a plurality of vertical guide slots, a guide part provided with a plurality of inclined guide slots and at its both sides with one or more springs, and a bar part provided with a plurality of projections and situated between two members of the guide part with the projections inserted into the inclined slots of the guide part.
In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, the signal generating unit consists of the bar operating switch, and a plurality of electric wires first ends of which are connected to the bar operating switch and second ends of which are connected to the hubs, each of the electric wires being comprised of a pair of wire strands; the signal transmitting unit consists of a plurality of divided bearings, each of the divided bearings being comprised of inside and outside bearings and a plurality of balls, the inside bearing being mounted on a hub and provided with two contacts each surrounded with intercepting material, the outside bearing being mounted not to be rotated, first central terminals of the wire strands of each electric wire passing through the outside bearing and being brought into contact with the contacts formed on the inside bearing, second central terminals of the wire strands of each electric wire passing through the inside bearing and the intercepting material and being connected to the contacts formed on the inside bearing; the antiskid bar and antiskid bar operating unit in which second ends of the electric wires are connected to electromagnets positioned in the casing parts of a plurality of electromagnetic antiskid bar units so that guide parts are moved to project bar parts by moving permanent magnets attached to the side protrusions of the guide parts; and each of the electromagnetic type antiskid bar units consists of the T-shaped, hollow casing part made of flexible, thin material and provided in its interior with four fixed electromagnets and a plurality of vertical guide slots, the guide part provided with a plurality of inclined guide slots and at its both sides with two permanent magnets, and the bar part provided with a plurality of projections and situated between two members of the guide part with the projections inserted into the inclined slots of the guide part.
In accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, the signal generating unit consists of the block operating switch, and a plurality of electric wires first ends of each of which are connected to the block operating switch and second ends of each of which are connected to a hub, each of the electric wires being comprised of a pair of wire strands; the signal transmitting unit consists of a plurality of divided bearings, each of the divided bearings being comprised of inside and outside bearings and a plurality of balls, the inside bearing being mounted on a hub and provided with two contacts each surrounded with intercepting material, the outside bearing being mounted not to be rotated, first central terminals of the wire strands of each electric wire passing through the outside bearing and being brought into contact with the contacts formed on the inside bearing, second central terminals of the wire strands passing through the inside bearing and the intercepting material and being connected to the contacts formed on the inside bearing; the antiskid block and antiskid block operating unit in which the second ends of the electric wires are connected to coils positioned in the casing parts of electromagnetic type circular antiskid block units embedded in the tread portions of tires so that the guide parts are moved to project block parts by moving permanent magnets attached to side protrusions of the guide part: and each of the electromagnetic circular antiskid block units consists of the cylindrical casing part which is made of rubber and in which a coil, to which the wire is connected, is situated, the cylindrical guide part positioned inside of the casing part and provided with a plurality of inclined guide slots, and the block part positioned inside of the guide part and provided at its outside surface with a plurality of projections inserted into the guide slots.